Theatrical scenery.



No. 703,763. Patented July I, I902.

L. J. CARTER.

THEATRICAL SCENERY.

[Application filed Dec. 23, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented July I, I902. L. J. CARTER.

THEATRIGAL SGENERY.

(Application filed Dec. 23. 1901.)

2 Sheets Sheet 2.

(No MOUel.)

WWW/ 5 lll lll u llll mlllllllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LINCOLN J. CARTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TH EATRECAL SCENERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,763, dated. July 1, 1902.

Application filed December 23, 1901. $erial No. 86,917. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LINCOLN J. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented'certain new and use ful Improvements in Theatrical Scenery, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to that class of stagescenery which consists of a-plurality of simultaneously-moving curtains arranged to be all in view at the same time and while moving.

It relates, further, to the means for operating the curtains, and particularly to the means for moving such curtains simultaneously at different rates of speed while all are in View and means for enabling them to be quickly and easily adjusted in operative position and moved out of the way when not in use.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical, and efficient stage-scenery with apparatus for moving the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stage-scene with a plurality of movable curtains, withmeans'for operating them simultaneously and at different rates of speed to convey an impression of moving landscape.

A further object is to provide means for holding the scenery in operative position while in use' and permitting it to be easily moved out of the way when desired.

Further objects will appear from an examination of the accompanying drawings and claims.

The invention consists in the features, co m binations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved apparatus shown partly in section; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same looking at it from above; Fig. 3, an enlarged cross-sectional detail of the main frame, taken on line 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4, a crosssectional detailof a portion of one of the sets of pulley-wheels, showing a plurality of curtainsnpporting straps in position thereon and taken on line 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 5 of Fig. 2, showing the apparatus as it appears in use;

and Fig. 6, a perspective detail, partly in section, showing one of the frames detached.

In constructing an apparatus in accordance with my improvements I provide a frame portion consisting of a number of longitudinal strips a midi), arranged, preferably, in six pairs, mounted on cross-blocks d, to which they are secured by means of bolts 6 and bracketsf and securely bolted to the ends of the main frame. At one end of the frame, rotatably mounted in the bracket 6, is a conepulley having several steps 7t, 7t, and 71. At the opposite end in bracket f is rotatably mounted another con e-pulley having the same number of steps, which being of the same description are for convenience designated by the same letters as those above mentioned viz., h, 7t and 7L2. Each of these cone-pulleys is made, preferably, of one integral piece, having their peripheral surfaces dividedinto separate step portions of different diameters (resembling the well-known cone-pulley) and corresponding in number to the curtains to be mounted thereon, or they may be made of three Wheels of different diameters fastened firmly together in any ordinary manner, that having the largest diameter being at the top, the next largest being immediately beneath it, and the one having the smallest diameter being at the bottom, all forming for all practical purposes as many cone-pulleys.

I prefer to use in this device three curtains, the two front curtains being transparcut or formed in part of open-work, so that they each permit those behind to be seen therethrough, one representing the foreground, another the middle ground, another the extreme background, as the landscape appears when viewed by one moving at a rapid speed. I have therefore shown and Will confine the description principally to an apparatus having three movable curtains. Each of the three cone-pulleys in both sets is provided at the bottom with-an integral annular flange j, of a diameter exceeding that of the peripheral surface or belt surface of such wheel. These flanges are for the purpose of retaining the curtain-supporting straps or belts L in operative position upon the cone-pulleys. The curtain-supporting belts are respectively connected with curtains Z, m, and '22 in such a manner as to permit the back curtains to be seen when those in front are in operative position upon the respective supporting straps or belts. I prefer to make each of the supporting-belts double or in two pieces, connected together by means of rivets 0 in any ordinary and well-known manner and having the top edge of the curtain firmly held between them. The netting or open-work portions 19 of the curtains Z and m and of the curtain n, if desired, are connected with the can- Vas portions (1 of such curtain which have thereon the images or painted representations of objects constituting the desired scene and form, with the open-work or netting portion, the complete curtains. The open-work or netting portions of the curtain permit the inside curtains to be seen therethrough and form an essential portion thereof, with the exception of the back one, which may or may not be provided with open-work portions, as desired. The portions of the two outside or front curtains (shown in Fig. 1) are of open-work netting and the canvas portions (1 (shown in Fig. 5) are broken away from the netting portions of the respective curtains to which they belong 011 account of being too long to be shown in full. These canvas portions are fastened to the netting in any ordinary and well-known manner common in fastening netting and canvas together, and they may extend in any desired direction upon the netting, according to the nature of the figures to be represented. Instead of using the netting separate supporting threads or cords of any desired material may be used to form the openwork portions of and connect the curtain with the supporting-belts; but I prefer a netting of coarse open-work formed of fine cords, such as will not materially obstruct the View of the back curtains.

As before stated, it is desirable that the curtains be moved at different rates of speed. The front curtain is therefore mounted upon the largest diameter of the cone-pulley, and as each step of the cone-pulley moves with the same annular velocity it naturally follows that their peripheral surfaces move at varying speeds, so that this curtain mounted on the largest step will travel faster than the one immediately behind it and in proportion to the difference in diameters of the respective steps upon which the curtains are hung. The curtain representing the middle ground is mounted upon the next largest pair of steps, and the one representing the background upon the smallest pair, all the curtains being of sufficient length to span the space between the two sets of wheels and encircle the wheels upon which they are mounted, the space between the cone-pulleys being of course determined by the requirements of the stage.

It is desirable that suitable means be provided to sustain the central parts of the curtains in position, and to accomplish this I prefer to hollow out the adjacent sides of the strips a and (1, making a slot 0 between them sufficient to permit the belts to pass through and having a diminished lower portion 8, through which the webbing which sustains the curtain may pass. The lower portion of the slot should be made narrow enough to retain the belt in the upper portion. In order to provide means for operating the pulleywheels, and thereby the curtains, I provide a shaft t, which is mounted in the bracket 9, and upon which is mounted the cone-pulley having the steps h, h, and 71 Upon this shaft is arranged a driven wheel It. A belt is then stretched from the driven wheel to a driving-pulley 10, mounted upon a vertical intermediate shaft- 2 which in turn is mounted in suitable bearings and by means of bevelgears 1 and 2 engages a crank-shaft 3, provided with a crank-handle i.

In order to permit the apparatus to beread ily raised out of the way when not in use and quickly adjusted in place, the main frame, with its curtains, is hung from the ceiling of the stage by means of suspension-rods 5 and 6, which may be constructed of any desired material, and the apparatus when in operative position may be held rigid by means of stay rods or braces 7 and 8. By this arrangement it is only necessary to loosen the stayrods and remove the driving-belt to permit the entire main frame, with its several curtains, to be quickly raised out of the way, and a unitary structure is thus afforded which enables the operation of a plurality of curtains at different rates of speed simultaneously and by means of a single crank and at the same time permits the whole apparatus to be raised and lowered out of and into operative position quickly and efliciently.

A stationary curtain (not shown) having painted or any desired representations of scenery may be placed back of the moving curtains, if desired, and it will of course be understood that the moving curtains should be painted and formed into such shapes as to represent trees, hills, valleys, rivers, mountains, sky, or other desired objects, but which it is not deemed necessary or desirable to illustrate here.

I claim- 1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a removable suspensible frame, two sets of pulley-wheels each consistin g of a plurality of integral belt-wheels of different diameters rotatably mounted upon and suspended with such frame, a plurality of endless belts extending from one set of wheels to the other and mounted thereon, and an endless curtain having web and open-work portions suspended from each belt and means for suspending the frame, substantially as de scribed.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a removable suspensible frame, two sets of pulley-wheels each c011- sisting of a plurality of integral belt-wheels of different diameters rotatably mounted upon IIO and suspended with such frame, a plurality of endless belts extending from one set of wheels to the other and mounted thereon, an endless curtain having open-work portions suspended from eachbelt, and means for rotating the pulley-wheels, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of two sets of pulley-wheels each consisting of a plurality of integral belt- Wheels of different diameters, an annular flange at the bottom of each belt-Wheel, a plurality of endless belts extending from one set of wheels to the other and mounted thereon, an endless curtain suspended from the inner belt, and an endless curtain suspended from each belt outside of the inner belt and its curtain and provided with open-work netting portions for permitting the inner portions to be seen therethrough, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a removable suspensible frame, two sets of pulley-wheels each consisting of a plurality of integral belt-wheels of different diameters rotatably mounted upon and suspended with such frame, an annular flange at the bottom of each belt-wheel, a plurality of endless belts extending from one set of wheels to the other and mounted thereon, an endless curtain for the inner belt, and an endless curtain suspended from each belt outside of the innerbelt and its curtain and provided with open-work netting portions for permitting the inner curtains to be seen therethrough, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a movable main frame, brackets upon each end of such frame, two sets of pulley-wheels mounted in such brackets and a plurality of endless curtains extending from one set of wheels to the other suspended therefrom and provided with openwork netting portions for permitting the inner curtains to be seen therethrough, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination of a removable suspensible main frame, brackets upon each end of such frame, two sets of pulley-wheels mounted in such brackets and a plurality of endless curtains extending from one set of wheels to the other and provided with open-work netting portions for permitting the inner curtains to be seen therethrough, means for suspending the frame, and means for rotating the pulleywheels, substantially as described.

7 7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of two sets of pulley-wheels, each consisting of a plurality of wheels of different diameters, and a plurality of endless flexible curtains, having transparent portions, extending from one set of wheels to the other, and mounted thereon, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of two sets of pulley-wheels, each consisting of a plurality of wheels of different diameters and a plurality of endless flexible curtains, having web and open-work portions, extending from one set of wheels to the other, and mounted thereon, and means for rotating the pulley-wheels, substantially as described.

9. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a suspensible frame, a plurality of endless concentric flexible curtains having web and open -work portions movably mounted on such frame, means for moving the curtains at different rates of speed, and means for suspending the frame, substantially as described.

LINCOLN J. CARTER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, HARRY IRWIN (Roman. 

